This unique reference thoroughly documents every important setting and feature in Microsoft's new operating system, with alphabetical listings for hundreds of commands, windows, menus, listboxes, buttons, scrollbars and other elements of Windows Vista. With this book's simple organization, you'll easily find any setting, tool, or feature for the task you want to accomplish.

Along with a system overview that highlights major changes, and a tour of the basics such as manipulating files and getting around the interface, Windows Vista in a Nutshell offers alphabetized references for these topics:

The User Interface: Covers the Sidebar, Aero Glass, the new Control Panel layout, and applets, as well as how to customize animated windows, the desktop, Start menu, pop-up windows on the Taskbar, and more.

The File System, Drives, Data, and Search: Discusses working with the new Windows Explorer, Virtual Folders, searches, indexing, saved searches, metadata, and sharing.

The Internet and Networking: Examines TCP/IP, RSS, tabbed browsing, and anti-phishing features of Internet Explorer, plus cookie handling, parental control features, and more.

Working with Hardware: Describes how to set up, maintain, and troubleshoot hardware--including keyboards, mice, monitors, USB devices, scanners, cameras, and sound devices--and how to add, install, and troubleshoot drivers.

The Command Prompt: Provides commands for working with files, utilities for troubleshooting the network, and instructions on how to create your own batch files.

Appendixes include information on installation, keyboard shortcuts, common filename extensions, and more. Windows Vista in a Nutshell is your one-stop source for everything you need from Microsoft's latest operating system.

The Big Picture

Chapter 1 The Lay of the Land

The Big Picture

What's New in Windows Vista

Windows Vista Editions

Hardware Requirements

Upgrading from Earlier Versions of Windows

Chapter 2 Using Windows Vista

The Desktop

Point-and-Click Operations

Starting Up Applications

Windows and Menus

Keyboard Accelerators

Common Controls

Files, Folders, and Disks

The Command Line

Online Help

Shutting Down

Nutshell Reference

Chapter 3 The User Interface

Controlling the Interface

Chapter 4 Working with the Filesystem, Drives, Data, and Search

Chapter 5 Internet Explorer

Security

Chapter 6 Windows Mail

Chapter 7 Networking, Wireless, and Mobility

Networking 101

Planning Your Network

Setting Up a Network

Wired and Wireless Connections, Management, and Configuration

Sharing Resources and Files

Network Applications

Mobile Computing

Networking and Internet Command-Line Tools

Chapter 8 Security

General Security

Internet Security

Encryption

Chapter 9 Working with Hardware

Chapter 10 Managing Programs, Users, and Your Computer

User Accounts and Computer Management

Applications and Utilities

Games

Chapter 11 Performance and Troubleshooting

Performance, Maintenance, and Troubleshooting

Startup

Chapter 12 Graphics and Multimedia

Chapter 13 The Registry

What's in the Registry

Adding and Deleting Registry Keys and Values

Registry Protection in Windows Vista

Organization of the Registry

Hives

Backing Up the Registry

Exporting and Importing Registry Data with Patches

Five Cool Things You Can Do in Your Registry

Chapter 14 The Command Prompt

Using the Command Line

Command Prompt Choices

Wildcards, Pipes, and Redirection

Batch Files

Appendixes

Appendix Installing Windows Vista

Performing a Clean Install

Upgrading from a Previous Version of Windows

Windows Anytime Upgrade

Potential Problems During Setup

Appendix Keyboard Shortcuts

Keyboard Accelerators Listed by Key

Keyboard Accelerators Listed by Function

Appendix Keyboard Equivalents for Symbols and International Characters

Preston Gralla

Preston Gralla, editor of O'Reilly Network's WindowsDevCenter.com and OnDotNet, is the author of Internet Annoyances, PC Pest Control, Windows XP Power Hound, and Windows XP Hacks, 2nd Edition, and co-author of Windows XP Cookbook. He has written for national newspapers and magazines, including PC Magazine, Computerworld, the Los Angeles Times, the Dallas Morning News (where he was the technology columnist), USA Today, and several others.

The animal on the cover of Windows Vista in a Nutshell is a European common frog (Rana temporaria), also known as the "brown frog" or "grass frog." This species inhabits Europe from the Pyrenees to the Urals and West Siberia. It can be found in just about any damp habitat within this range, including lowland and mountain forests, meadows, swamps, ponds, lakes, rivers, gardens, backyards, and parks. The European common frog has a small, squat body and a wide, flat head. The frog is typically brown or grayish in color but can also have yellowish or red hues. The lower segments of its backbone are fused into a stiff rod called the urostyle, which, along with its strong pelvic bones, helps provide strength and firmness to the rear of the body. The frogs have powerful hind legs and webbed feet, which contribute to their excellent jumping and swimming abilities. The males of the species tend to be slightly smaller than the females and are identifiable by whitish swellings on the inner digits of their front feet. During breeding season, these swellings support dark "nuptial pads" that enable the male to grasp the female more effectively. The male can be very vocal when trying to attract a mate, even croaking underwater. Once he has attracted a female, he climbs on her back and embraces her in a tight, sometimes suffocating grip called amplexus, which can last up to two days. He fertilizes the eggs as the female lays them. In recent years, scientists researching the species in the Pyrenees have discovered a behavior known as "clutch piracy," in which gangs of males search for newly laid eggs to fertilize them again. The researchers have found evidence of fertilization from as many as four males in a single clutch of eggs.Although huge numbers of eggs are laid, few frogs survive to adulthood. Tadpoles are preyed upon by both terrestrial and aquatic animals, and adult frogs count grass snakes, kingfishers, and herons among their many predators. Additionally, many frogs are caught by humans for the purposes of education, medicine, and science. Overall, however, this particular species is neither declining nor threatened.The cover image is from Wood's Reptiles, Fishes, Insects, &c. The cover font is Adobe ITC Garamond. The text font is Linotype Birka; the heading font is Adobe Myriad Condensed; and the code font is LucasFont's TheSans Mono Condensed.